Page 39 of More Than a Hero (Baytown Heroes #12)

JIMMY

Jimmy sat with the other boys on the bus, still riding the high of having passed his math test. Laughter filled the space around him, the kind that came easy after a good day.

"I think I’m gonna go check on Mr. Marty," he said to Darius, shifting in his seat as the bus slowed at their stop.

Darius nodded, his expression turning thoughtful. "I noticed he didn’t seem to be feeling great the last time we talked to him."

"That’s what I thought, too. If we go check on him now, then I’ll have the rest of the evening."

The bus lurched to a stop, and nearly all the kids in their section piled out.

Their apartment complex wasn’t the nicest place around, but it was home.

His mom worked hard to make sure their unit stayed clean and welcoming, even if the outside could use a fresh coat of paint and some better lighting.

Jimmy waved to the others as he stepped off, then headed down the breezeway to his apartment to get his bike.

His mom was afraid someone would steal it, so almost everyone kept their bikes locked inside their homes.

It didn’t take too long to pedal to the Careway Senior Apartments.

Jimmy liked the way the U-shape allowed a little garden in the middle.

Marty lived in the end unit to the right.

He felt his bike was safer here than his own apartment building, but he still locked it to one of the small trees before making his way to Mr. Marty’s door.

He knocked and waited. No answer. Frowning, he knocked again, harder this time.

Mr. Marty had trouble hearing, and Jimmy knew he was supposed to be working on getting a hearing aid.

The door swung open, but instead of Mr. Marty, a younger man stood in the doorway. Someone Jimmy had never seen before. He was dressed in a red tracksuit with a black ball cap. His look might be casual, but Jimmy recognized the brand, and it was more than his mom could afford.

"Uh… I just came to see Mr. Marty…"

The man didn’t say anything. He just stared at Jimmy, eyes cool and unreadable. But from inside, Mr. Marty’s familiar voice called out. "Oh, that’s Jimmy, my friend. Let him in, Tamarcus."

The door opened wider, and Jimmy stepped inside, relieved to see Mr. Marty settled in his recliner.

"I didn’t mean to disturb you. I didn’t realize you had company."

"This is my nephew. Well, I suppose my great-nephew," Mr. Marty said with a chuckle. "He lives in Norfolk and has come to visit me recently."

Jimmy turned back to Tamarcus and stuck out his hand. "Nice to meet you. I’m Jimmy."

Tamarcus let the moment stretch, leaving Jimmy’s hand hanging for just a few seconds too long. Then, with a grin that showed off a gold tooth, he clasped Jimmy’s hand and gave it one hard shake before letting go.

Something in Jimmy’s gut twisted. He didn’t like him. "Well, I guess, Mr. Marty, I can?—"

"Come sit down, Jimmy." Mr. Marty waved a hand toward the sofa. "It’s always a treat to have you stop by."

Jimmy hesitated. Tamarcus was still watching him, expression unreadable but unmistakably guarded. The energy in the room felt off. "It’s okay. I’ll let the two of you visit," Jimmy said, taking a step back. "I’ll come by later, maybe tomorrow."

"Sounds like a good plan," Tamarcus said. They were the first words he’d spoken to Jimmy, and the tone was not friendly.

Jimmy didn’t miss the tension in his voice.

Nodding, he turned toward the door, giving Mr. Marty one last glance before stepping out into the breezeway.

He rode his bike back to his apartment complex, not surprised to see Jalen, Rasheem, and Darius walking down the outside stairs toward him when he arrived.

"Was Mr. Marty not home?" Rasheem asked.

"Yeah, he was, but he had company."

"Company?" Jalen frowned. "I didn’t know he had visitors."

"His nephew or great-nephew or something like that," Jimmy said. "The guy gave me the feeling he didn’t want me there. I don’t know… I just didn’t get good vibes off him."

"Was Mr. Marty okay?" Darius asked.

"Yeah, he seemed fine. Actually, he seemed happy to have company. I just got the feeling his nephew didn’t want me around. I’ll go back tomorrow and check on him."

Jalen exchanged a look with the others. "If you got a bad feeling about him, is that something we should talk to Mr. Pete about?"

Jimmy sighed, running a hand over his head. "I don’t know. Just because I don’t like someone doesn’t mean they’re a bad person. And Mr. Marty seemed okay."

"It’d be nice if they lived closer, then we could watch out for our grandparents all the time," Darius suggested.

They all nodded, and while Jimmy liked the idea, he decided that he’d bike over to visit Mr. Marty more often.

The afternoon air had cooled as the sun dipped behind the apartment buildings, casting them in shade. By now, David, Tony, and Caleb had joined them. Curly’s mom had sent a container filled with cookies to share, and they were enjoying their afternoon snack.

Jimmy sat on the steps with his arms resting on his knees, watching as the elementary school bus rumbled up to the curb. The doors hissed open, spilling out a group of younger kids, their laughter and chatter breaking up the quiet hum of the neighborhood.

Across the way, Robert stood at the end of the building, hands tucked into his pockets, waiting for his younger brother and sister. The afternoon sunlight cast a long shadow behind him, stretching across the pavement. From Jimmy’s angle, it looked much heavier than just his silhouette.

Darius, sitting beside Jimmy, exhaled heavily. “I wonder what that was like for him—to get arrested,” he mused. “I know Mr. Pete said we shouldn’t talk about what happened, but he always seemed real nice to me.”

“He just lives a couple of doors from me. Remember when we were all in elementary school together? I think he’s nice,” Jalen said, leaning back on his elbows. “He just made a bad choice.”

They fell into silence as Robert gathered his siblings and started up the stairs at the far end of the building.

When he glanced their way, his expression was guarded, unsure.

But when Jalen lifted a hand in an easy wave, Robert hesitated only a second before offering a small, tentative smile in return.

Then, cautiously, he lifted his hand and waved in return.

Jalen hopped up, jogging down the breezeway to meet him. “If you wanna hang out with us, we’re just chilling.”

Robert glanced at his brother and sister, making sure they were headed inside safely before nodding. “Thanks. Maybe I will. I just gotta get them settled and make sure my granddad doesn’t need anything.”

Jimmy watched as Robert walked away, something thoughtful settling in his chest. Maybe things weren’t as simple as they used to be when they were all in elementary school.

Perhaps none of them had the luxury of seeing the world in black and white anymore.

What happened to Robert could have happened to any of them.

He shifted slightly on the stoop, stretching his legs out as a black sedan with dark-tinted windows rolled into the parking lot, moving to the far side of the last building. The driver alighted, and Jimmy was surprised to see it was Tamarcus.

“That’s him,” Jimmy said in a whisper that came out much louder than he’d intended.

The other boys got quiet and looked at him.

“Don’t act like you’re staring, but that black car at the end… that was Mr. Marty’s nephew.”

“Who’s he visiting here?” Caleb asked.

“I don’t know. He’s talking to those two men,” David said.

“I know them,” Darius piped up. “They live in the very last building. My mom said to stay away from them because she doesn’t like the way they look.”

Rasheem nodded. “They look sneaky when they walk around. That guy who got arrested used to talk to them when he was around.”

While a few of the boys kept their backs to Tamarcus so it didn’t look like they were all staring, Jimmy kept his eye on him.

Tamarcus’s gaze skimmed over the block, taking in every detail, as if he were memorizing it, cataloging things no one else noticed. Jimmy wasn’t sure what to make of him.

“I’ve seen that guy,” Tony said. “Not much, but enough to recognize that black car. He always walks around like his shit don’t stink.”

Jimmy continued to stare. The uneasy feeling grew.

Darius, Rasheem, and Jalen had gone quiet beside him, their conversation tapering off as Tamarcus’s gaze flicked their way. It was brief but heavy, and enough to send a cold prickle along the back of Jimmy’s neck.

As quickly as it came, Tamarcus turned his head like they were nothing more than background noise. Then he strode away from the two men and climbed into his car.

The Virginia plates gleamed as the engine roared to life. Then, with a sharp jerk of the wheel, Tamarcus peeled off down the street, tires screeching loud enough to send a couple of startled birds flapping from a rooftop.

Jimmy exhaled through his nose. “Idiot.”

Darius stretched his legs out, his expression contemplative. “He sure don’t act like Mr. Marty’s nephew. Mr. Marty is nice. That guy is… I don’t know… looks like a gang member. Red and black. Like one of the Bloods.”

Before Jimmy could dwell on it, Robert reappeared, his hands stuffed deep in the pockets of his jeans as he walked toward them. He stopped at the base of the steps, glancing between Jimmy and the others. “Y’all still out here?”

Jalen shrugged. “Where else we gonna be?”

Robert let out a chuckle but didn’t argue.

Instead, he rocked back on his heels, his gaze drifting down the breezeway that ran the full length of the apartment building.

“Feels weird, ya know?” he said after a moment.

His voice was lower now, more thoughtful.

“Not hanging with the high school crowd right now.”

“You okay… you know… after what happened?” Jalen asked, his tone careful.